Verbascum plant named ‘Dark Eyes’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Verbascum  plant characterized by numerous light yellow colored flowers with purple eyes on very short, upright flowering stems, a compact habit, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Verbascum hybrid ((V. phoeniceum×dumulosum)×V.chaixii ‘Album’).

Variety designation: ‘Dark Eyes’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofVerbascum hybrid, and given the cultivar name ‘Dark Eyes’. Verbascum isin the family Scrophulariaceae.

This new cultivar originated from a cross between Verbascum ‘Jackie’ (anunpatented plant) as the seed parent and Verbascum chaixii ‘Album’ (anunpatented plant) as the pollen parent. Verbascum ‘Jackie’ is a crossbetween Verbascum phoeniceum and Verbascum dumulosum.

This new Verbascum hybrid is unique in its light yellow flowers withpurple eyes combined with its extremely compact habit and very short,multiple flowering stems.

This plant is characterized by the following:

-   -   1. Light yellow flowers with purple eyes.    -   2. Compact habit.    -   3. Deep green, rugose leaves.    -   4. Short flowering stems.    -   5. Excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The photograph shows the whole plant of a two year old Verbascum ‘DarkEyes’ grown in the trial field in bloom in late spring.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Verbascum selectionbased on observations of two-year-old specimens grown in the ground infull sun under typical outdoor conditions in the trial fields in Canby,Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range froma high of 95 degrees F. in August to an average low of 32 degrees F. inJanuary. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year. The colordescriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Form.—Clumping basal rosette.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zones 5-9.        -   Size.—16 cm tall and 30 cm wide, not including            inflorescence.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Multiple thick, fleshy roots from the crown, with            freely branching laterals, white in color. Plants may be            multiplied from crown divisions.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Basal.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 17 cm long and 9 cm wide.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Margins.—Crenate, somewhat undulate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Oblique.        -   Texture.—Leathery, thick.        -   Surface texture.—Stellate pubescent, rugose.        -   Petiole.—Length — Grows to 1 cm. Width — Grows to 8 mm.            Surface — Stellate pubescent. Color — Yellow Green 145D.        -   Leaf color.—Abaxial — Deep green, Between Green 139A and            Yellow Green 147A with lighter main vein, Yellow Green 145D.            Adaxial — Yellow Green 147B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Panicle.        -   Total panicle size.—15 cm wide and 28 cm high (where flowers            are).        -   Number of panicles per plant.—8, much branched.        -   Cauline leaves.—6 cm long and 4 cm wide and smaller.        -   Flower number.—Count of 70 flowers on one panicle terminal            branch.        -   Peduncle.—Height — 35 cm. Diameter — 8 mm near base. Surface            — Stellate and glandular pubescent. Color — Yellow Green            146B.        -   Pedicel.—Length — 8 to 12 mm. Surface — Stellate and            glandular pubescent. Color — Yellow Green 146A to B.        -   Bloom time.—May to August in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—10 mm wide and 10 mm deep.        -   Description.—Pentagonal cushion.        -   Surface.—Glandular pubescent.        -   Color.—Yellow, Yellow 12B.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Perfect. Complete. Irregular.        -   Shape.—Rotate, irregular, short tubular.        -   Size.—28 mm wide and 12 mm deep including stamens.        -   Color.—Light yellow with a purple eye, Yellow 10A with Red            Purple 71A.        -   Corolla.—Petal description — 5 lobes, broadly ovate, margins            entire, apices obtuse. Size — 28 mm wide and 3 mm deep.            Surface — Backs are glandular pubescent, inside glabrous.        -   Calyx.—Sepal number — 5 lobes. Size — 10 mm wide and 3 mm            deep. Surface — Stellate and glandular pubescent on both            sides. Color — Yellow Green 146A.        -   Stamens.—Number — 5. Filaments — 7 mm long and heavily            bearded Purple 77A. Anthers — Kidney shaped. Orange 26A.            Pollen — Orange 28A.        -   Style.—11 mm long, Greyed Red 182B.        -   Stigma.—Yellow Green 146D.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Fertility: Sterile, no fruit or seed produced.-   Disease and pests: Verbascum are susceptible to fungal leaf spots    and root rots. They susceptible to root rots if good drainage is not    available. Caterpillars may be a problem.

COMPARISONS

Compared to the pollen parent, Verbascum chaixii, this new cultivar hasmuch shorter flowering stems and much larger flowers, which are lightyellow rather than white. Compared the seed parent, Verbascum ‘Jackie’,the new variety is much shorter, and the flowers are light yellow ratherthan peach colored flowers.

There are no similar hybrids or species on the market.

1. A new and distinct Verbascum plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.